World's richest authors -- Forbes's ranking

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James Patterson

Powerhouse fiction writer James Patterson continues to churn out 14 books a year with the help of coauthors, making him publishing's busiest (and richest) penman. Patterson earned $90 million in the last 12 months, bringing his total career earnings to $700 million over the last decade. Author of the Alex Cross and Michael Bennett series, Patterson has sold more than 300 million copies since his 1976 debut; today, his books account for one out of every 17 hardcover novels purchased in the United States. Currently also the bestselling living author for young adult and middle grade audiences, Patterson's youth novels have sold 25 million copies. After the 2007 small-screen flop of "Women's Murder Club," Patterson is taking another stab at T.V. and working on a documentary about small town America. This year, he is giving away $1 million to support independent bookstores. He still writes by hand.

1. James Patterson: $90 million
2. Dan Brown: $28 million
3. Nora Roberts: $23 million
4. Danielle Steel: $22 million
5. Janet Evanovich: $20 million
6. Jeff Kinney: $17 million
7. Veronica Roth: $17 million
8. John Grisham: $17 million
9. Stephen King: $17 million
10. Suzanne Collins: $16 million
11. JK Rowling:$14 million
12. George RR Martin: $12 million
13. David Baldacci: $11 million
14. Rick Riordan: $10 million
15. EL James: $10 million
16. Gillian Flynn: $9 million
17. John Green: $9 million